Any kind of collision with a semi truck can be frightening, and very dangerous. Due to their large size and weight, the semi truck poses a much bigger threat to drivers of smaller vehicles than cars of a similar size. National Safety Council data from 2008 to 2020 shows that the overwhelming majority of people killed in large truck collisions are occupants of the other vehicle. Being rear-ended by a semi can be especially dangerous if the collision pushes your car into another vehicle or solid object like a wall, due to the tremendous weight of the semi pushing on your vehicle. Although this is a scary situation, you should do your best to stay calm and call for help with your injuries. In this article, we’ll discuss in detail what to do following a large truck accident and how to seek compensation for your damages.
Large truck companies or individual owners usually have extensive insurance coverage, but that doesn’t mean it will always be easy. The insurance company may try to shift the blame in your direction, or find another excuse why they don’t have to pay. For this reason, it’s recommended that you consult a Georgia truck accident lawyer to help with the claims process.
Attorney Ali Awad is a dedicated personal injury attorney who has assisted many clients injured in large truck accidents. He founded the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm and within just a few short years, turned it into the fastest-growing law firm in the country, beating 499 others. In his spare time, he shares legal knowledge with more than a million social media followers. If you or a loved one have been injured in a large truck accident, please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm right away for a free consultation.
What to Do After a Semi Truck Accident
Find a safe place to pull over, if you are able to move your car. Put the vehicle in park and put your hazard lights on, then examine yourself for injuries. Check with any passengers to see if they’re all right, then call 911 to report the crash. If you are not badly hurt and are able to get your car door open, get out and take pictures of the damage to your vehicle.
Unfortunately, it’s very common for a rear end collision with a semi to result in the smaller vehicle being pinned in place between the semi and either another vehicle or a wall. If this happens, trying to move the car or get out could place you in more danger. Call 911, explain the situation, and follow any instructions the 911 operator gives you. You may need to wait for first responders to arrive and remove you from the vehicle.
No matter how the accident happened, the truck driver should stop and check on you. It’s unlikely they will be injured, and they should have training on what to do after a crash. Ask to exchange contact and insurance info with them.
When the police arrive, tell them what happened. You don’t have to give an opinion about fault. Sometimes people mistakenly believe they did something wrong to cause the accident, but rear-end collisions are the rear-end driver’s fault in most situations. You should answer the officer’s questions honestly, but there’s no need to elaborate or volunteer information they didn’t ask for. The reason is because anything you say may end up in the police report, and the truck driver’s insurance company could take it out of context and use it against you in trying to avoid paying your claim.
Be sure to get medical care for your injuries. In cases where the car was crushed, occupants often have multiple serious injuries, and there is little question of whether they need medical attention. In situations where the car was simply shoved forward by the semi and didn’t hit anything else, the driver and passengers often think that they’re fine. However, symptoms of whiplash, other soft tissue injuries, or even a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not appear right away after these types of accidents.
It’s important to understand that in a rear-end crash, most drivers will hit the brakes, causing the motion of the car to slow abruptly. But their bodies continue moving forward at the same speed – this is why seatbelts were designed to prevent you from being thrown into the windshield. However, the force of your head snapping forward and then back when the car slows can still cause strain and damage to your neck muscles, resulting in whiplash. The same is true for your brain – a TBI can actually happen without any blow to the head, if the brain is harshly shaken by this same forward-then-back motion. So even if you didn’t hit your head in a car accident, you could have suffered bruising or tearing of the brain or surrounding blood vessels and tissues. We recommend that you see a doctor right away, and remain on the lookout for any unusual symptoms in the days following your collision.
What is the Average Settlement for a Semi Truck Accident?
It’s difficult to determine an “average” settlement for a truck accident because the amounts vary widely depending on the nature of the accident and the victim’s injuries. A person who suffers a permanent injury or disability will probably receive a much larger settlement than someone who had less severe injuries and recovered. There are also a number of different kinds of damages an injured party might seek for a truck crash:
- Medical costs, including estimated future costs if it appears that you will need long-term care.
- Lost income, if the accident put you out of work temporarily or permanently.
- Pain and suffering for both physical and emotional injuries.
- Loss of enjoyment of life if your injuries have impacted your ability to do typical activities.
- Loss of consortium and companionship if a loved one died in the accident.
- Property damage to your vehicle.
- Punitive damages may be applied in situations where the defendant’s actions were brazenly reckless or dangerous.
Some cases may settle in the tens of thousands, while others may be worth six figures and, in rare circumstances, seven. If you want to know what kind of damages you should expect for your case, the best way to do that is to speak with a Georgia truck accident lawyer. They will go over all potential damages and help you arrive at an appropriate amount of compensation for your losses.
Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm
If you’ve been injured by the negligence of a truck driver, trucking company, or other third party, it may be difficult to figure out who is liable or where to start with your claim. At the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, we’re always available for a free consultation, and if we take your case, there’s no fee until we win. Please contact us today to get the answers you need about your case by calling (470) 323-8779.
